Posts tagged Pandemic
Worker rights? Racial bias? A law change for manicurists prompts debate, confusion
February 17, 2025 // Since the beginning of the year, licensed manicurists and nail salon owners in Orange County and across the state have been confused about whether a change in state law allows the business practice of renting a booth to continue or not. After an exemption expired under state law, nail salon workers are now subject to a rigorous test to determine if they are independent contractors while licensed aestheticians, electrologists, barbers and cosmetologists remain exempted from it.
As Off Broadway Crews Unionize, Workers See Hope, Producers Peril
February 11, 2025 // Striking stage crews have idled the nonprofit Atlantic Theater Company — the birthplace of the musicals “Spring Awakening,” “The Band’s Visit” and “Kimberly Akimbo,” which all transferred to Broadway and won Tonys. The strike, which began last month, comes amid a drive to unionize stagehands and crews at Off Broadway theaters. Nonprofit companies and producers fear that the unionization push could drive up costs at a moment when many are running deficits and staging fewer, and smaller, shows. Second Stage Theater and Soho Rep both recently moved out of their longtime venues and opted to share space with other companies. Another measure of the sector’s shrinkage: In 2019 there were 113 shows eligible for the Lucille Lortel Awards, which honor Off Broadway work; there are just 59 eligible shows so far this season, which, for the Lortels, closes at the end of March.
Maple Grove Hospital nurses vote to unionize with MNA
January 30, 2025 // Twin Cities hospital systems have negotiated their nurse contracts concurrently, in part to avoid one-upping each other with escalating wages and benefits, but the end result is a mega-event every three years in which the union seizes on the collective voices of so many nurses bargaining at once.
House Oversight Republicans open Congress with rants against telework, unions
January 17, 2025 // Rachel Greszler, a visiting fellow at the conservative Economic Policy Innovation Center and a former Heritage Foundation and Project 2025 contributor, described actions like the Social Security-AFGE telework contract update as an effort to “Trump-proof” agency workforces and suggested Congress should pass legislation allowing presidents to reopen collective bargaining agreements upon assuming office. And they should ban official time, the practice by which agencies agree to pay union officials their normal salary for time spent on representational duties, like in collective bargaining negotiations or representing employees during grievances or disciplinary hearings.
American Airlines Union President Faces ‘Embezzlement’ and ‘Cover-Up’ Allegations Amid Mounting Dissent
January 10, 2025 // Formal charges have been filed by one of the American Airlines flight attendant base Presidents against their union President, Julie Hedrick. These “Article VII Charges” allege ‘willful violation’ of the union’s constitution including improper use of union funds for personal enrichment. This includes the allegation of having the union lease her an apartment without first certifying that she lived outside the area (the union can lease apartments for its officers to stay at in Dallas only if their primary residence is elsewhere).
JPMorgan Chase to order staffers back to office 5 days a week: report
January 8, 2025 // Wall Street firms have remained divided on their remote work policies after pandemic restrictions were lifted. Goldman Sachs mandated workers return to the office full-time in 2021 — and later reminded them of this policy in 2023, when some employees continued to work from home. Goldman Sachs staffers have been working in the office five days a week since then and the company is no longer transitioning its in-office policy.
Trump backs dockworkers in fight against automation. The move risks higher prices, experts say
December 14, 2024 // The U.S. Maritime Alliance, or USMX, the organization representing shipping firms in negotiations, said on Thursday that such automation would improve efficiency and increase capacity. Those enhancements would benefit U.S. companies and consumers that depend on goods from abroad, the group added. “We need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” USMX said in a statement.
UNIONIZED GUARDS STRIKE AT SEATTLE ART MUSEUM
December 13, 2024 // Among the concessions sought by SAM VSO, which represents roughly sixty-five employees, are higher hourly wages, better health care benefits, the restoration of retirement benefits that were cut as the Covid-19 pandemic raged, and a union security clause, which would mandate all department employees to join the union and pay dues, thus ensuring the future of the union and protecting against union-busting efforts.
Commentary: Biden Values Public Unions Above Public Service
December 12, 2024 // “It’s time for America to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again with people,” he said. “The vast majority of federal workers will once again work in person.” Yet it never happened. The White House issued various directives, and every political appointee I know was routinely in the office . But despite this widespread discontent among his own appointees, Biden never got the workers back. One reason is that civil servants overwhelmingly view the return-to-office push as a bad-faith political stunt designed to assuage critics in Congress or provide economic benefits to cities. The belief that regular presence in an office is beneficial, expressed by many managers in the private sector, doesn’t have much traction.
Striking San Francisco hotel workers urge J.P. Morgan health conference attendees to stay away
December 12, 2024 // Housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, servers, bartenders and other members of the union, Unite Here Local 2, are reaching out to attendees of the invitation-only J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference to be held Jan. 13-16 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel. The conference is billed as a global symposium that includes health and technology industry leaders and members of the investment community. Union spokesperson Ted Waechter said 10,000 people took part in the conference last year.